In order to provide telephone service for local distribution such as an individual subscriber's premises, it is necessary to run an individual telephone cable (drop wire) from the main branch of a multi-conductor telecommunications cable to the individual premises. Many of these multi-conductor telecommunications cables are run underground and, accordingly, the individual drop wires are also run underground from the branch cable to the individual premises. As the drop wires are buried beneath the ground, typically at a depth of between two and three feet, it is not uncommon for the buried drop wire to become damaged or severed due to routine excavation. Repair of the drop wire so damaged is typically accomplished by splicing the damaged ends together, thereby reestablishing electrical continuity therebetween. However, as the cable including the newly spliced location must be re-buried beneath the ground, it is necessary to adequately protect the cable splice from inherent underground moisture.
Various splice enclosures have been developed which house an electrical cable splice and also permit the enclosure to be filled with a moisture-resistant encapsulant which surrounds the cable splice, preventing moisture contact therewith. Many of these cable splice enclosures include a container-like lower housing which permits entry of two or more cable ends thereinto and which also support the spliced cable ends. The lower housing may then be filled with an encapsulant which substantially surrounds the cable splice and over time, hardens to either a gel-like or solid consistency. A cover is then placed over the lower housing, fully enclosing the cable splice. The enclosure is then buried underground, re-establishing telecommunication service to the premises. Examples of this type of buried splice enclosure are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,337,374; 4,423,918; 5,001,300 and 5,371,323.
Common to the enclosures described in each of the above-identified patents is the need to fill the lower housing of the enclosure containing the splice with the encapsulant and then interpose the cover over the filled lower housing in order to fully enclose the splice. As may be appreciated, these cable splices are made in the field, typically with the installer working adjacent to or within a hole dug in the ground to access the cable. In order to effectively encapsulate the splice with the encapsulant in many instances, the installer must hold the lower housing level while the housing is being filled with encapsulant. Thereafter, the cover must be attached to the lower housing before the enclosure is placed back beneath the ground. The risk of spillage is inherent in this process. Spillage would result in an inadequate amount of encapsulant being retained in the enclosure, and therefore may adversely affect the moisture resistance of the enclosure.
Other cable splice enclosures include two half-shells where the encapsulant is provided in the upper and/or lower half of the splice enclosure. The splice must be set in the encapsulant in the half shell. It is also difficult to carefully manipulate this type of enclosure in the field. Examples of this type of enclosure are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,550,465 and 4,423,418.
Still other cable splice enclosures are known which include two-part enclosure housings which are assembled around the splice prior to filling the enclosure with the encapsulant. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,138,657; 3,992,569 and 4,554,401 each provide cable splice enclosures including an opening which permits the introduction of the encapsulant therethrough. However, one inherent problem with enclosures of this type is that upon injecting the encapsulant into the enclosure, there is a tendency for the encapsulant to exit the enclosure through and along the cable entry openings of the enclosure. This may result in an inadequate amount of encapsulant being contained within the enclosure and also prevents a pressure buildup within the enclosure. Such pressurization is advantageous in assuring the complete encapsulation of the splice.
It is therefore desirable to provide a forced encapsulation closure for a buried splice cable which may be more easily filled with an encapsulant and which adequately retains the encapsulant therein, thereby assuring complete encapsulation of the splice.